THOMASVILLE, N.C. -- The Thomasville City Council still awaits news on the fate of an abandoned factory that has been branded an eyesore by residents and city officials alike.

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The Thomasville Furniture Industries Plant B Building, at 310 Fisher Ferry St., has been sitting vacant on the 7-acre property for years. The council for months has tried, unsuccessfully, to have the building demolished.

“We are making daily contact in regards to the matter, and we are hoping to have more information in the next week or so,” said City Manager Kelly Craver. “The city is still pursuing all parties regarding a remedy to the situation.”

The council has been working with the plant’s previous owner, Randolph Bank, in an effort to get the property demolished or improved. Ownership of the dilapidated plant on Fisher Ferry Street changed hands earlier this year, fostering hopes that demolition would be finished by the end of this fall. A temporary fence mandated by the City Council remains in place at the plant, though it has large holes in it.

“We firmly believe that the bank has a legal liability,” Craver said. “There is still some serious question as to whether they have transferred liability of this building. We certainly believe they have some liability.”

Jeff Schwarz, the previous owner, re-acquired the property on May 15, but there are no revenue stamps on the deed and Randolph Bank remains listed as the grantor. Virginia-based Carter Bank put up the money for the purchase.

When contacted by The High Point Enterprise, a representative with J&S Properties, Schwarz’s firm, said he did not know if the permits for demolition are still active, also adding that he isn’t sure if the company is under a deadline to tear down the structure.

If Schwarz takes no action, the city is left with the option to condemn the building at taxpayer’s expense. The estimated cost of demolition is $400,000.